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Friday, September 14, 2012

You Just Never Know

Honey Boo-Boo and her family.

Recently I've heard a great deal of criticism about the mom on "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo" on TLC. If you don't know what this is, it's a reality TV show that centers around one, slightly obnoxious child and her family. It's a spin off of another reality show that makes me want to projectile vomit anytime I am forced to watch - "Toddlers and Tiaras" - also on TLC.

For the record, let me say that I love reality TV. When I'm home alone, my TV is always tuned to either HGTV or the Food Network. I've also been known to frequent A&E, Discovery Health, and the National Geographic Channel to name just a few. I can spend mindless hours watching people cook dinner, fix up their houses, buy new houses or train their dogs...not to mention get sober and relapse or crawl out of a mountain of crap they've been hoarding. But even a reality TV junkie like me doesn't like ALL of the drivel. Some of it I find downright offensive.

I do not discriminate which shows I like and which I hate based on socio-economic conditions as I've heard some do of late. Apparently, the mom on Honey Boo-Boo has recently come under fire for what she feeds her children and the fact that her kids may have different dads. She and her husband are supporting four children on a fairly low income, most of which goes into the pageant circuit. What's left is used to pay her mortgage and feed her children. Just because it's not all fresh fruits and vegetables grown in their back yard or purchased at the local organic farmer's market doesn't mean it's bad. And just because I don't choose to live the way they do or spend my money the way they do doesn't mean it's bad. It just is.

But apparently there are those out there who don't think what she feeds her family or the way she spends her money is appropriate. Really people? (See how I just did that? Really people...reality people. Yeah...I'm cleaver that way.)

I mean if we're going to criticize then let's get busy why don't we?

Has anyone checked out how much drama goes on behind the doors of those supposedly "real" housewives? Just how much alcohol do those people consume anyway? And I'd much rather watch a woman who loves and takes care of her children (even if I don't agree with how she does it) than a woman who's primary concern is how big her lips are and what her married boyfriend is going to buy for her this week. I don't know about you but where I grew up, we called those women...um...never mind.

And let's not even talk about the Bachelor or Bachelorette...well, maybe I'll talk about it a little. If one of my boys was schtupping that many women at one time I would be opening up a very large can of whup ass on him...right after I had him checked for STD's and had a very long, very tortuous discussion about how women are to be treated AND the proper way to find true love.

But that's just me. Others have different hot buttons and issues. One of the reasons that reality TV is so popular is because, if you are a fan of the genre, there is always something that will keep you entertained.

Here's the best part...if I don't like a particular show then...and here's where it gets tricky...I TURN IT OFF. I remove what offends me from my view and that way I'm no longer offended. Simple, uncomplicated and easy. Just change the freaking channel and find something on those 400 other channels that you'd rather watch.

Or turn the damn thing off and take a walk or read a book or listen to some music.

What I do not do is attack these people for making a buck and choosing a certain path in life. How could I? I don't know their story. I don't know where they've been, how they were raised or what life events have brought them to this place. Who am I to judge anyone? I can barely take care of myself for God's sake. The fact is you just never know what someone else is carrying in their Gucci bag or their Walmart pockets and how that's shaped their life.

Sometimes I ask my kids their thoughts on some of these shows and they always answer with compassion, no judgement and a little humor. So if reality TV has shown my kids how to look at all manner of humanity with love and compassion, then I say bring on Honey Boo-Boo and leave her mama alone.

Getting people blogging, FB, tweeing, etc about this program only increases ratings because it leads to viewer's curiosity. I watched 1/2 of the honeybobobooobbbboooo (whatever) premier for "curiosity" or for the purpose of being "in the know" when it comes up in coversation. The more extreme (and possibly repulsive) this family is presented, the more viewers the network gets. We're (tv viewers) kind of twisted that way..

Frankly, if I were to view this program again, it would be for the SOLE purpose of ensuring they are caring properly for their mini-potbelly (which I have desperately wanted for ten years now).

But, yes, of course, I get your point - we really don't get to criticize and/or judge anyone. Its just not our job or purpose in this life. I love that we have such diversity in culture right here in the US. I was channel surfing the other day and came across some reality program about shrimpers deep in LA. Ok, I'm a from farm country way up here - almost to Canada. I know NOTHING about LA culture. So when I was totally unable to understand what these shrimpers were saying because of their heavy accent, I though, how cool, right here in this c ountry to have so much variation from one geographical area to the next!

Good for you to have raised kids who react that way - a litmus test, I think, for how they were brought up!!!!!